Costa Rica moves forward in the process to implement its National Adaptation Plan

• -The subnational capacity building project for the implementation of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) in Costa Rica, supported by UN Environment, has received almost US$ 3 million in funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
• -Costa Rica seeks to urgently strengthen the planning frameworks and processes at the subnational level, to address current and future climate change challenges.
• -UN Environment is providing support to Costa Rica to strengthen institutional capacities by integrating adaptation strategies into local and regional planning frameworks.
   

San José, Costa Rica, June 25, 2019. The Directorate of Climate Change (DCC) at the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) of Costa Rica and UN Environment has held the Launch Workshop for the project "Building subnational capacities for the implementation of the National Adaptation Plan in Costa Rica".

This three-year project, financed through the GCF Readiness Programme, aims to reduce the country's vulnerability to the impacts of climate change through integrating adaptation actions into regional and municipal (cantonal) planning processes. The project work plan engages not only the government, but also the private sector and civil society.

Costa Rica is highly vulnerable to extreme hydrometeorological conditions and water scarcity. It is projected that climate change will increase the level of exposure and vulnerability of the country.

Andrea Meza, director of the DCC at MINAE, said “This project will help Costa Rica to strengthen its planning framework for adaptation at the local level through generating scientific evidence and developing tools, to integrate climate information into decision-making processes".

UN Environment will provide technical support to Costa Rica to strengthen institutional capacities at the subnational level through integrating adaptation strategies into local and regional planning frameworks.

The aim is to reduce the negative impacts of climate change, especially in areas of high vulnerability, and to enhance the resilience of economic, social and environmental systems, in a way that is measurable, verifiable and reportable.

Elena Pita, Programme Officer for Adaptation, UN Environment, said, "The NAP is a key instrument to increase the adaptive capacity of countries facing the challenges of climate change. Through the NAP process, countries identify various points of entry to integrate adaptation into planning processes, based on scientific evidence and utilising best practices.”

Information on the NAP project in Costa Rica: Contact Ximena Apéstegui - ximena.apesteguiguardia@un.org and Sebastian Rodriguez  Sebastian.rodriguez@un.org

More information on the project ‘Building subnational capacities for the implementation of the National Adaptation Plan in Costa Rica’:
The project seeks to fulfill its main objective through:

• - Strengthening regional and cantonal planning frameworks, recognizing the crucial role of subnational authorities in adapting to climate change;
• - Involving key actors and stakeholders in the planning and implementation of adaptation at these levels;
• - Producing cantonal risk assessments to identify adaptation needs;
• - Creating institutional and technical capacities and promoting agreements at different levels; and
• - Developing adequate monitoring and reporting mechanisms for adaptation at the subnational level and linking them with the national initiative for adaptation monitoring and - evaluation.